A 30-year-old woman from the Chief Zimunya area in Mutare appeared in the Mutare Magistrates’ Court facing charges under the Children’s Protection and Adoption Act.
The court learned that on October 11, 2024, the accused was at her employer’s home with her 11-month-old baby. It is alleged that she placed the child on the floor face down and repeatedly struck her with a stick while instructing her to crawl.
The woman recorded the incident and sent the video to the child’s father. The situation came to public attention when the video went viral on social media, leading to police involvement.
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The accused pleaded guilty and, during her mitigation, claimed she suffers from an undisclosed mental health condition. She was remanded in custody until October 30, 2024, while awaiting evaluations from two doctors as required by the Mental Health Act.
In response to the incident, former Chivi South MP Killer Zivhu from ZANU PF suggested that the woman’s actions might be a result of poverty and frustration. In a post on X, he stated that she “needs counselling, not prison” and offered to provide her with US$2,500 to help her start an income-generating project.
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